The Safe Call: Penn State Punts Early, But Was it the Right Move?

COLUMBUS, OH– Penn State interim coach Terry Smith made a decision that confused some PSU fans early in the team’s game against Ohio State.

With the offense facing a fourth and three at the Ohio State, 46, Smith decided to punt.

It’s not hard to understand why Smith did what he did.

The Ohio State offense has been excellent all season, so it would have been a risk to potentially give Ohio State a short field. On the otherhand, with Penn State 3-4 and a heavy underdog against the No. 1 team in the country on the road, many feel that PSU has nothing to lose, and being more aggressive than normal is a sign of a team that has nothing to lose.

Nonetheless, Smith decided to punt, and the result initially wasn’t awful.

Gabe Nwsou’s punt set Ohio State up at its own 11, so QB Julian Sayin and company had a hefty 89 yards to score. Ohio State accomplished that feat in 11 plays, with a 14-yard pass from Sayin to star WR Jeremiah Smith capping it off.

Generally, going for it on fourth down in the first quarter isn’t a great idea.

Simply put, it’s often just too early to take those types of risks, especially against a team that can make its opponent pay like Ohio State can. But Penn State coming in as a heavy underdog has many people thinking that it can afford to take more risks, so Smith’s decision will be questioned.